Overview
- The European Council has confirmed a formal summit in Brussels and its president, Antonio Costa, said the EU and the UK are like‑minded partners ready to deepen cooperation.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham told MPs the status quo is not good enough and that he will use the summit to press for a closer UK‑EU relationship.
- The government is seeking specific pacts on post‑Brexit food and drink trade, a youth mobility scheme and an emissions‑trading arrangement to shield UK businesses from EU carbon costs.
- Burnham framed renegotiation as a voter‑led process, saying the public will be “the boss” and calling failure to pursue a deal a “dereliction of duty,” and the summit had been rescheduled after Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation.
- The prime minister said he was told there was clear evidence of Moscow interference in the 2016 referendum, a claim the reporting describes as having limited public sourcing and requiring further corroboration.